Related Stories

Scott Pearson has been in this situation as a player. It might be harder as a dad.

At 43, Pearson doesn’t look like he’s long removed from the NHL. The hair has some flecks of grey, but other than that, the Cornwall native looks like he could still strap on the blades for the pro game.

Of course, he couldn’t. It’s been a dozen years since Pearson played pro (discounting a one-game appearance with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL in the 2006-07 season). In all, Pearson played in 292 regular-season NHL contests, scoring 56 goals and 42 assists.

Selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs sixth overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, Pearson also suited up for the Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders in a nine-year NHL career.

It’s now his son’s turn to see where the game of hockey will take him. Chase Pearson, still just 15, is a highly-touted prospect. Drafted by Oshawa in the fourth round of this year’s OHL draft, he attended the Cornwall Colts Prospect Camp last weekend.

Playing in the CCHL is just one of many hockey options for the big forward (Chase Pearson, if not already bigger than his father, is pretty darn close), who also has the U.S. U-17 Development Program, United States Hockey League and U.S. Prep School as possible destinations for next season.

For Scott Pearson, who played in 216 OHL games (scoring 228 points, with 107 goals) with the Kingston Canadians, Kingston Raiders and Niagara Falls Thunder from 1985-1989, it’s all a little overwhelming. Just imagine then, how his son must feel.

“It’s a different world than the one I grew up in. Everybody is way more knowledgeable,” says Pearson, in town until the end of the week visiting family and friends.

Pearson is secure in the knowledge that whatever hockey option his son chooses, it will be an informed one.

“Wherever he goes, I just want him to play, as anyone would,” says Pearson, who wants his son to embrace the process.

“It’s exciting for him. He has a lot of options.

“He’s always loved the game and been passionate about playing. He just loves working at the game and being on the ice.”

For the past eight years, more often than not, Scott Pearson has been on the ice with him — or on the bench.

Pearson has coached in the Atlanta Fire organization the past eight seasons. He’ll also coach this year, though as an assistant with the peewee team, and continues to head the Fire’s coaching program.

Pearson has lived in Atlanta since 2001, working with MedAssets, where he is currently the vice president of corporate meetings. He has seen the Fire program grow, both in terms of numbers and prestige.

“We’re competitive with any program in the U.S. I think we’ve built a pretty good program,” says Pearson, a single father with full custody of Chase and 14-year-old Trinity.

He’ll continue to call Atlanta home, at least for the foreseeable future.

“I’d like to come home someday,” says Pearson, who still plays hockey twice a week.

“When that day is, I don’t know.

“My daughter’s just starting high school, so it won’t be for awhile.”

When and if it does occur, there’s a good chance hockey will be part of the equation, in a coaching capacity of some sort.

“Where I was, with my job, it was never really an option, but it’s something I think I would really enjoy,” says Pearson, of coaching at say, the junior level.